1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to exercise equipment and devices and, more particularly, to portable exercise equipment and devices adapted to emulate a horizontal "crawling" action in order to provide a low-impact exercise which will build and tone muscles ranging from the arms, chest, and abdominal to the logs and lower back.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is well known in the art, there are many types and routines of exercise, depending upon which muscles or other body attribute is to be exercised. As is also well known in the art, exercises capable of being performed in a horizontal position puts less stress onto the spine, and gives freedom for movement for users with low back problems, thus strengthening the back gradually. This effect on the back has a substantial rehabilitative benefit for the low back pain sufferer. As a result, there are many types and constructions of exercise equipment which stimulate the user to perform a horizontal "crawling" motion. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,224,909, issued in the name of Hamilton, discloses a mid-body exercise device. And also, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,582,069, issued in the name of Flick, a crawler-type exercising device is disclosed. And also, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,460,272, issued in the name of Pelllicore and disclosing a teaching aid, and again in U.S. Pat. No. 3,363,335, issued in the name of Burhns et al. and disclosing a patterning apparatus, crawling exercisers are further disclosed for a variety of rehabilitative uses.
Although the above cited references all disclose devices to aid a user in exercise training via a "crawling motion", these disclosure suffer a common drawback in their use of parallel sliding tracks for both the arms and legs. By providing a parallel tracking system, the prior art methods place an excessive amount of direct pressure upon the knees, causing a discouraging amount of discomfort or worse.
One known method fails to utilize linear tracking at all to stimulate leg crawling motions, but rather utilizes a twisting motion. As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,799,475, issued in the name of lams et al., the device permitting a user to simulate crawling motions to improve movement of the truncal muscles and spine suffers from the same problems associated with placing an inordinate amount of pressure upon the user's knees, as well as the additional drawback of concentrating an excessive amount of assertive motion within one area of the lower back, thereby limiting any aerobic benefits and effects.
Consequently, a need has therefore been felt for an improved but less complex mechanism that can be used to stimulate an aerobic workout and for aiding in exercise by simulating a crawling motion without concentrating an excessive amount of weight upon the user's knees.